Smart Cul Tour

Project number: IPA/2019/161486/5

The SMART-CUL-TOUR project is co-financed by the European Union, within the framework of the Second Call for Proposals of the IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme between Macedonia and Albania, 2014-2020.

The main objective of the project is to encourage tourism, promote and protect cultural and natural heritage, and ensure balanced and sustainable socio-economic development of the cross-border region, including the regions of Bitola and Korca.

The improved experience of visitors and their positive reviews will enable an increased influx of tourists in both target regions. The additional content that will be offered by local stakeholders from the tourism sector will enable longer retention of tourists in the cross-border region, and thus will contribute to increased economic benefits.

The numerous activities that will relate to the increased visibility of the project activities, and at the same time the cross-border region as a whole, will make the target regions more accessible and open to visitors.

The planned activities will raise public awareness of the values ​​of cultural and natural heritage, improve and increase their capacity, and increase their accessibility for various target groups, especially for people with disabilities.

The use of renewable energy sources, in the context of preserving cultural heritage, contributes to environmental protection, and at the same time to increased sustainability of the target locations.
The cooperation between experts, especially from the field of cultural heritage protection and museum activity, has a positive impact on the long-term cooperation of the partners, even after the completion of the aforementioned project.

The improved experience of visitors and their positive reviews will enable an increased influx of tourists in both target regions. The additional content that will be offered by local stakeholders from the tourism sector will enable longer retention of tourists in the cross-border region, and thus will contribute to increased economic benefits.

The numerous activities that will relate to the increased visibility of the project activities, and also of the cross-border region as a whole, will make the target regions more accessible and open to visitors.

• Total project budget: 704,590 Euros
• Project duration: 24 months

Project partners:

1. Municipality of Bitola – Lead Partner, Republic of Macedonia
2. Municipality of Pustec – Partner, Republic of Albania
3. NI “Institute and Museum” – Bitola, – Partner, Republic of Macedonia
4. Directorate for Protection of Cultural Heritage – Korça, – Partner, Republic of Albania
5. Youth Cultural Center – Partner, Republic of Macedonia

The activities in the SMART-CUL-TOUR project are divided into the following work packages:

WP 1: Management and coordination

1. Project Management
2. Project Meetings
3. Audit

WP 2: Information and promotion

1. Project Visual Identity
2. Final Brochure (trilingual)
3. Project Events (Start-up and End-of-Year Event)

WP 3: Tourism infrastructure

1. Reconstruction of the existing old school building and establishment of a museum in the village of Globočani, Municipality of Pustec
2. Reconstruction / improvement of the infrastructure at the archaeological site of Heraclea Lyncestis, in Bitola
3. Reconstruction of the access street, so-called “Roman Road”, including a pedestrian path, to the archaeological site of Heraclea Lyncestis, in Bitola.

PR 4: Tourism promotion

1. Permanent exhibition in the museum “Sterjo Spase” in the village of Globocani, Municipality of Pustec
2. Development of a multilingual audio guide for the archaeological site of Heraclea Lyncestis
3. Development and commissioning with appropriate equipment of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for the archaeological site of Heraclea Lyncestis and the museum in Globocani.
4. Development, promotion and sale of integrated tourist packages with a cross-border character

More information about the project